Analysis: Second Race, More First Corner Drama

The first corner in the second Formula One race of the season ended World Champion Michael Schumacher's hopes of a third straight win on Sunday.

History, both recent and more distant, repeated itself in the simmering Malaysian heat as Ferrari's Schumacher and his Colombian rival Juan Pablo Montoya locked horns and provided further controversy.

Two weeks ago, at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, it was Michael's younger brother Ralf who rammed his Williams into the back of Rubens Barrichello's Ferrari at the first corner and took off.

Four times World Champion Michael won that race, followed home by Ralf's teammate Montoya. On Sunday, it was the same two teams but different drivers as Montoya and Michael clashed at the first corner while Ralf raced to victory after a clean fight with Barrichello until the Brazilian's Ferrari engine expired.

Montoya was second, Michael third. For the second race in a row, the Ferrari on pole position made contact with a Williams - Barrichello seemingly changing his line in front of Ralf, while Michael moved across to block Montoya's charge.

It was not the first time Montoya and Michael have been on the front row and clashed - in Austria last year, Montoya also refused to be intimidated by the German. That time they did not touch but the Colombian's determination to keep Schumacher behind him led eventually to a near collision and both losing positions.

Mirror Image

As in Australia, there was controversy and - like the race incident - it was also a mirror image. In Melbourne, officials were criticised for not stopping the race when eight of the 22 cars were taken out in the mayhem following the collision.

In Malaysia, they were stung for doing something. Montoya became the first Formula One driver to be given a "drive-through penalty" - taken by driving slowly through the pits without stopping - for what was deemed to be "causing an avoidable collision."

Some observers, in a sport where the powers that be are regularly accused of favouring World Champions Ferrari, questioned whether blame should be laid solely at the Colombian's door. Montoya, who went on to set the fastest lap of the race, made his feelings abundantly clear.

"I think the penalty came, basically, from what happened in the first race," he said. "I think the stewards wanted to show they are really strong and if anybody does anything we are going to give you a penalty. Bullshit like that."

Montoya thought he had given Schumacher enough room.

"To me it was a race incident," he said. "I was a bit pissed off because I thought he understeered off into me, which is why I went like that to him, but that was it."

Schumacher, who had won the past two Malaysian Grands Prix as well as the last two races before Sunday, agreed.

"To be honest, yes," he said when asked if the sanction imposed had been unfair. "I think we have seen far more extreme situations where nothing has happened and today, a little touch and something was done. We don't seem to have a very consistent situation. That's something we may all want to improve in future."

Ralf also defended his teammate.

"Michael did his usual come-over, to block his (Montoya's) position, which is fine. Then they both went into the first corner and he made the line a bit tight. I think that it was a normal racing incident and it was not fair to give him a penalty."